Tuesday, January 1: New Year's Sunrise at Faville Grove Marsh

Trip Leaders: Dave Musolf & Roger Packard

Our annual New Year's Day sunrise field trip at Faville Grove Sanctuary will meet at Buddy's Place, the old farmstead at N7710 Hwy 89, at 6:55 am. If there is good snow and you have snowshoes, bring them along. Otherwise, sturdy boots for uneven terrain will do.

From I-94, take the Lake Mills/Waterloo exit and go north on Hwy 89 about 2.5 miles. The driveway is on the right immediately past North Shore Road, which intersects from the left.

We will meander through the prairie in the pre-dawn light to arrive at the marsh overlook in time for sunrise, and then spend the early morning exploring the Faville Grove Marsh and surrounding uplands.

Volunteer sanctuary managers David Musolf and Roger Packard will lead the trip.

Winter is a great time to get up close and personal with our beautiful Wisconsin wetlands; there is no better way to start the New Year!

Saturday January 10: Wisconsin River Raptors

Trip Leaders: Levi Wood and Marty Evanson

Come watch eagles soar over the Wisconsin River! Levi Wood will lead this trip to Sauk Prairie to search for soaring raptors and other wintering birds. Likely finds include Bald Eagle, Rough-legged Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, and American Kestrel. Other possibilities include Cooper’s Hawk, Northern Harrier, and Northern Shrike. We will check the river and Prairie du Sac dam for waterfowl and gulls.

You may want to bring a snack as the trip will last until noon. If you have a scope, please bring it along. Dress appropriately for the weather.

We will meet at 8 a.m. to carpool from the parking lot of Copp’s Supermarket at 6800 Century Ave. in Middleton. Riders are expected to share expenses with drivers. Contact Marty Evanson 608/271-6846 with questions.

Saturday February 28: Live Butterflies at Milwaukee Museum

Trip Leader: Sue Borkin

Mark your calendar! This field trip will be a fun way to butterfly-kiss winter goodbye and anticipate the colorful delights of warmer seasons! We will carpool and travel to the vast Milwaukee Public Museum to receive a special, behind-the-scenes guided tour of Bugs Alive! and the Puelicher Butterfly Garden, a two-story, glass-enclosed wing of the museum, which has live butterflies. The native and tropical butterflies (such as the giant electric-blue Morpho) often land on visitors!

We are fortunate to have this special tour led by Susan Borkin, Director of the Puelicher Garden and Director of Research Support for the Museum. Surrounding the Garden are displays of more than 1,000 species of butterflies and moths from the museum collection. We will also get a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the Museum’s extensive collections. After lunch you can attend any of the numerous other exhibits (Rain Forest, Titanic, Living Oceans, etc.) or enjoy the domed IMAX theatre or planetarium. The museum admission fee is $11, senior $10. This is a joint trip with the Southern Wis. Butterfly Assoc.

You must register for this trip by emailing Joan Braune at jbraune@sbcglobal.net or phone (608) 242-1168. She will provide you with more details, such as meeting time and place, and will be able to notify you of any changes.

Saturday March 7: Early Spring Migrants

Trip Leader: Steve Thiessen

Early morning field trip to Mud Lake in McFarland. Mud Lake is usually the first body of water to thaw in our area, so it attracts good concentrations of spring migrating waterfowl. We will meet at 7 a.m. at the south end of Lewis Lane in McFarland. Bring a scope if you have one. For more information call Steve at (608) 873-3323.

Saturday, March 21: Beginning Birding

Each spring, MAS sponsors many birding field trips, and though the leaders attempt to help new birders, it is not always possible to answer all of their questions. Picnic Point will be the site for beginners to get their questions answered. This area, at the west end of the UW campus, offers varied habitats and a good opportunity to observe a variety of waterfowl and small birds. We will meet next to the bus shelter in the parking lot by the 1918 Marsh (across from the entrance to Picnic Point) at 7:30 a.m. Questions? Call Allen Holzhueter at (608) 238-0546. Also offered April 11 and April 25.

Sunday, March 29: Spring Birding at Rose Lake

Rose Lake State Natural Area is a hidden gem acquired by Jefferson County with assistance from Madison Audubon. For a description of Rose Lake and what we expect to see on this trip, click on Sanctuaries on the MAS web site. We hope to see many ducks, geese (including Greater White-fronted), cranes and shorebirds. In addition to the lake, we will tour woodlot and prairie habitats. Rose Lake is adjacent to Dorothy Carnes County Park, which is just west of Fort Atkinson off US Hwy. 12. The only entrance is well marked. Meet in the parking lot at 9 a.m. and stay as long as you like. If you have questions, contact Nolan Kollath at (920) 648-3842 or nkollath@charter.net

Saturday, April 4: Spring Birds of Columbia County

Tony Kalenic and Carol Anderson will lead this car birding trip through northern Dane and southern Columbia counties to look for early spring migrants and late winter birds. We hope to see migrating swans, geese and other water birds. Meet to carpool at 8 a.m. in the parking lot where Copp’s supermarket used to be at the intersection of Allen Blvd. and Century Ave. in Middleton. Meet at the east end of the lot near Century Ave., or you can join the group at 9:30 a.m. at Goose Pond. Bring your binoculars, a scope if you have one, and a snack, as the trip may last to early afternoon. Call Tony and Carol at (608) 249-8836 for questions.

Sunday, April 5: Scope Day at Goose Pond/Uncle Butzie the Vulture too!
Note: Due to a major snow advisory, this event may be rescheduled - check here for updates.

Scopes are provided from 1-4 p.m. for spring bird migration. Directions: Goose Pond Sanctuary is 15 minutes north of Madison near Arlington. Take Hwy. 51 to Leeds, turn west on County K, north on Goose Pond Road, and west at the Goose Pond sign onto Prairie Lane. See page 10 for info about Uncle Butzie the vulture.

Thursday, April 9: Frogs Night Out

Bring a sense of adventure on this trip, cosponsored by Wisconsin Wetlands Association, as you look at the world from a different perspective—through sounds. Besides listening for a variety of frog calls, participants will learn about frog lifestyles and wetlands ecology. Meet at the Mazomanie Wildlife Area at 6:45 p.m. From Hwy. 14 in Mazomanie, drive north on County Hwy. Y for about four miles. Just before the highway bends to the east (right), turn left on Law’s Dr. Travel on the access road about a quarter mile and turn left onto the first gravel road. Follow this about one and a half miles until it deadends at a parking lot. Bring a flashlight and dress for wet conditions. The trip will be canceled if the daytime high temperature is below 45°F or in the event of very strong winds or heavy rain. The rain date is April 16. Call trip leader Bob Hay only if you have questions. (608) 829-3123.

Saturday, April 11: Spring Migrants

Spring has sprung! This field trip focuses on birding the Lake Farm County Park area and nearby open water. Lake Waubesa and Upper Mud Lake should have a variety of ducks. On the trails we may find Yellow-rumped Warblers, phoebes, thrushes and a variety of sparrows. Bring a scope for viewing the lake. This trip will be from 9 -11 a.m. Meet at the No. 1 shelter parking lot. Take South Town Rd. south from the Beltline to Moorland Rd. and turn left. Continue to Libby Rd. and turn left again. The shelter lot is a few blocks up on your left. Call Pat Ready at (608) 873-1703 for more info.

Saturday, April 11: Beginning Birding.

Repeat of March 21 trip. See information from that write-up.

Friday, April 17: Evening at Goose Pond.

Come join us for an evening birding tour at Goose Pond and nearby wetlands. Water conditions are still high from last year and water levels probably will increase with snow melt. The high water should provide ideal habitat for wetland birds. Meet in the farm house at W7503 Kampen Road (northwest of Goose Pond) at 6:30 p.m. We will carpool to other wetlands. If you have questions, contact Mark or Sue Martin at goosep@chorus.net or (608) 635-4160.

Saturday, April 18: Annual Midwest Crane Count

Don’t forget to sign up to help count cranes from 5:30-7:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 18. The count, organized by the International Crane Foundation, takes place in every county of Wisconsin and in several adjacent states. Watching the sunrise and listening to the awakening of a crane marsh can be an unforgettable experience. Check www.savingcranes.org to find out more, including who your county coordinator is. Be sure to sign up early.

Saturday, April 18: Ice Age Trail (Once Around the Sink and Down the Drain)

We’ll look for returning waterfowl and grassland birds at Shoveler’s Sink, stroll through the gorge cut by glacial meltwater at the Cross Plains Ice Age National Scientific Reserve, and search for pasque flowers on the bluffs above. This 3-mile walk traces the contrasting landscape of glaciated and unglaciated (Driftless Area) terrain along the route of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail. Wear sturdy boots; bring binoculars, water, and food; and dress for the weather. Meet at 9 a.m. at the intersection of Cleveland Rd. and Old Sauk Pass. This is about three-fourths of a mile south of U.S. Hwy. 14 in the Town of Cross Plains. Contact trip leader Gary Werner of the Dane County Chapter, Ice Age Park & Trail Foundation, at (608) 249- 7870 with questions.

Sunday, April 19: Faville Grove Sanctuary West

Experience Madison Audubon Society’s Faville Grove Sanctuary with sanctuary ecologist and land steward, Lars Higdon. Participants will hike through northwestern Jefferson County’s recessional glacial terrain while viewing its attendant array of plant communities (wetland, prairie, sedge meadow, perched tamarack bog, fen, savanna, and woodland). We expect to see Sandhill Cranes, various migratory waterfowl and songbirds, hawks, grassland birds and other resident species. It is not unusual to see at least one flock of cormorants enroute to Green Bay. The field trip will last 2-3 hours. Meet at the west unit of the sanctuary at 7:15 a.m. From Madison, travel east on I-94 to the Lake Mills/Waterloo exit, then go 3 miles north on Hwy. 89 to the old farmstead at N7710 Hwy. 89. If you have questions, call Lars at (608) 220-9563.

Friday, April 24: Evening at Cherokee Marsh

We‘ll see cranes, observe the courtship flight of woodcock and snipe, and see several spring migrants. Meet at 6:30 p.m. at the Cherokee Marsh parking lot at the north end of Sherman Ave., on Madison’s north side. Waterproof footwear is recommended. Trip leaders are Levi Wood and Tony Kalenic. For questions, call Levi at (608) 277-7959.

Saturday, April 25: Abraham’s Woods

Abraham’s Woods is a State Natural Area owned by the UW-Madison Arboretum. The ‘southern mesic forest’ found here is somewhat rare in this part of the state, and features a dense canopy of sugar maple, basswood, yellowbud hickory and hackberry. This trip is timed to coincide with peak spring wildflower displays and early migrant bird visitors. Time permitting, we may stop at nearby Oliver Prairie, a limestone ‘goat’ prairie, to look for early blooming flowers such as bird’s foot violet. We will carpool at 8 a.m. from the Home Depot parking lot, near the intersection of the beltline and Verona Rd. If you would like to pass on carpooling and meet the group at Abe’s Woods, located just southwest of Albany in Green Co., contact the trip leader for directions. Trip leader Amy Staffen can be contacted at (608) 238-0450 with any questions. We will cancel only in the case of dangerous weather. The group should return to Madison between noon and 1 p.m.

Saturday, April 25: Beginning Birding

Repeat from the March 21 field trip. See that trip writeup for complete details.

Sunday, April 26: Baraboo Hills Spring Wildflowers

Come check out what’s happening on a spring day at Hemlock Draw, especially the display of spring wildflowers, which include some of the special northern species that thrive in these hemlock groves of the Baraboo Hills. The Louisiana Waterthrushes will be back, singing their long ringing melodies along the creek, phoebes should be nest-building on the shaded sandstone cliffs, and with luck we’ll find migrant birds in force. We’ll stop at the ancient quartzite sea-stacks and see how Nature continues to heal the scars left by former human activities and more recent storm events. This 2-mile round-trip forest walk is along unmaintained trails that may be damp in spots, so wear appropriate footgear. Expect the trip to last about three hours. Meet at 9 a.m. at the Mossman home in Leland, for carpooling to the entrance trail on Reich Dr. To reach Mossmans’, take Hwy. 12 eight miles north from Sauk City (or 7 miles south from Baraboo), turn west on Hwy. C and continue 12 miles to the village of Leland. As you enter town, turn north on Hemlock Rd. and go about 1/8 mi to old white farmhouse (S8440A) on the right, with white barn opposite. If you have questions contact Mike Mossman at (608) 544-5501.

Thursday, April 30: Warbler Walk at Pheasant Branch

Join us for the first of MASís early morning warbler walks. We will be looking for migrating warblers as well as vireos, thrushes, tanagers and whatever else flies by. Meet at 6 a.m. and park at the dead-end that leads up to Parisi Park near where Park Lawn St. meets Park St., Middleton. Mike McDowell (800) 289-1132 or mike@birddigiscoping.com.

Monthly Jefferson/Dodge County Birdwalks April-May-June-July-Aug-Sept

April is here and we are starting the second season of the Jefferson and Dodge County Birdwalks. As in 2008, the walks will be led by experienced birders. Leaders include Nolan Kollath, lifelong birder and former instructor at Madison Area Technical College, Watertown; Karen Etter Hale, Executive Secretary, Madison Audubon Society; and Brad and Royan Webb, members of the Horicon Marsh Bird Club. The walks are affiliated with the Madison Audubon Society. Jefferson and Dodge counties have thousands of acres of prime bird watching habitat. We manage our walks under the rule “go where the birds are” so we choose walk sites close to the scheduled date. As we firm up the schedule, we will post the information on our website, http://www.theropod.org/walks.html. We will again be holding our walks on the third weekend of the month, April through September. You can join our mailing list at the website and be notified of all upcoming walks as soon as they are planned. We will not give out any information you provide and only use the list to keep people informed about the walks. We had a lot of fun with good birds, good company and pleasant walks last year. We’d be happy to have you join us this year for more of the same. All experience levels are welcome.

Saturday, May 2: Birding at Wyalusing State Park

Quentin Yoerger and Charles Naeseth will lead this trip to Wyalusing State Park, which overlooks the confluence of the Wisconsin and Mississippi Rivers. The Mississippi is a major migration route for numerous bird and the rugged bluffs make this breathtaking scenery a beautiful spot for a spring adventure. Observe hawks, warblers (including Yellow-throated), lots of other birds and a few spring wildflowers. Bring a lunch as this trip will last until mid-afternoon. Carpool at 5 a.m. from the Home Depot parking lot on Verona Rd. by the recently closed Cub Foods (just south of the Beltline). If you have questions, contact Quentin at (608) 882-6078 or harrierqman@ gmail.com

Sunday, May 3: Wisconsin River Bottoms

The trip will meet at 6:30 a.m. in the parking lot at Mazomanie Bottoms (located about 3 miles north of Mazomanie on CTH Y & Laws Dr.) The trip will visit several locations west of Mazomanie along the Wisconsin River bottoms including Arena Boat Landing, Spring Green Preserve, Bakken’s Pond and Blue River Sand Barrens. Depending on the amount of rain we get this spring, we may also stop along CTH G and CTH JJ in Spring Green for shorebirds. Probable passerines include many warblers, Lark Sparrow, Grasshopper Sparrow, meadowlarks, some water birds including Pied-billed Grebe, Sora, Black Tern, and probably some shorebirds such as Least and Semipalmated Sandpipers, various plovers, etc. The trip should last until early afternoon. It may be helpful to bring FRS radios along if you have them. If you have questions, contact trip leader Chris West at little_blue_birdie@ msn.com

Tuesday, May 5: Warbler Walk at the Arboretum

This is one of a handful of annual early morning warbler walks to be held in the UW Arboretum, looking for migrating warblers as well as vireos, thrushes, tanagers and whatever else flies by. Meet at 6:00 a.m. in the Arboretum at the Wingra/Galistel Woods parking lot along Arboretum Dr. Enter the Arboretum from the east off Mills St. If you enter from the west (Seminole Hwy.) you will have to walk from the McKay Center parking area. John Feith john@caculo.com, (608) 445- 7375 and Jim Berkelman.

Thursday, May 7: Warbler Walk at the Arboretum

See May 5 Warbler Walk field trip for details. Levi Wood (608) 277-7959.

Saturday, May 9: Big Birding Day

Delia Unson & Chuck Heikkinen This year's Big Birding Day is also International Migratory Bird Day. Here’s your chance to explore a single county to see how many birds you can find (and enjoy). You can take part just for fun, or you can compete against the other teams. And in the process you can help build Madison Audubon’s ability to secure and protect new parcels of land, introduce bird education to more school children, and advocate on behalf of birds and other wildlife.

Participants choose one of seven counties (Dane, Dodge, Columbia, Iowa, Richland, Sauk, or Jefferson) and go out as teams to find birds. Teams can be composed of anywhere from two to six people. The “hunting” hours are anywhere between 4 a.m. and 5 p.m. Some teams start at 4; others choose to be more leisurely. One team for the past two years has chosen to be particularly “green” by doing the entire day by bicycle. Most of us have still resorted to cars.

While asking for pledges is not required, we encourage you to do so. Not only is it easy to gather pledges from family, friends, and neighbors, but it’s an excellent opportunity to discuss birds and bird conservation with them. People are almost always very happy to contribute to such a cause. They can offer either a specific amount, or a certain amount based on the number of birds you see, anywhere from $.05 per species to $1.00 or more. Pledges have been the largest source of funding that Big Birding Day brings in for Madison Audubon’s many conservation programs. To pledge, email a message indicating your pledge per species amount, to paul_noeldner@hotmail.com.

We encourage beginning birders to take part as well as advanced birders. The primary idea is to enjoy the great variety of birds we get during the peak of spring migration. The rules and sign-up forms are available on the MAS website: madisonaudubon. org. Or you can call or e-mail Chuck or Delia at deliachuck@gmail.com, (608) 274-4043 or (608) 206-0324, for more information. Please consider taking part!

Tuesday, May 12: Warbler Walk at the Arboretum

This is one of a handful of annual early morning warbler walks to be held in the UW Arboretum, looking for migrating warblers as well as vireos, thrushes, tanagers and whatever else flies by. Meet at 6:00 a.m. in the Arboretum at the Wingra/Galistel Woods parking lot along Arboretum Dr. Enter the Arboretum from the east off Mills St. If you enter from the west (Seminole Hwy.) you will have to walk from the McKay Center parking area. John Feith john@caculo.com, (608) 445- 7375

Tuesday, May 12 and Thursday, May 14: Warbler Walk at Pheasant Branch

Join us for one of MASís early morning warbler walks. We’ll look for migrating warblers as well as vireos, thrushes, tanagers and whatever else flies by. Meet at 6:00 a.m. and park at the dead-end that leads up to Parisi Park near where Park Lawn St. meets Park St. in Middleton. May 12: Aaron Stutz (608) 294-9618 or agstutz@sbcglobal.net, and Mike McDowell. May 14: Aaron Stutz and Jesse Peterson.

Thursday, May 14: Evening at Token Creek

Though bordered by Hwy. 51 and I-90, Token Creek County Park’s varied habitats hold species such as Baltimore Oriole, Indigo Bunting, Brown Thrasher, Eastern Bluebird, Warbling Vireo and several species of flycatchers. A variety of migrant warblers are also possible. Trip leader Ed Saur has lived in northeastern Dane County and visited the park frequently for more than 20 years. He atlased the park for the Wisconsin Breeding Bird Atlas Project for three years. The trip begins at 6:30 p.m. Token Creek Co. Park is in the northeast quadrant of the I-90-94 and Hwy. 51 interchange. It’s about a half-mile north on Hwy. 51 from I-90-94 or one-half mile south on Hwy. 51 from Hwy. 19 and just east of the Pine Cone Restaurant truck stop. Brown signs mark the entrance. Wear shoes that will keep your feet dry as some trails may be wet. Meet at the parking lot at the first building on the right. Ed Saur (608) 846-4482 or ejsaur@aol.com

Friday, May 15: Evening at Nine Springs

This 2.5 hour birding trip will visit one of the more interesting and often overlooked birding spots in the Madison area to search for shorebirds, herons, cranes, terns, swallows and waterfowl. This area typically has good mud flats, marsh and pond habitat. Meet at 6:30 p.m. at the E-Way parking lot along the Capitol City Bike Trail on Moorland Road. Bring a scope if you have one. This trip may last until 9:00 p.m. or later. Dan Doeppers, Pat Ready, Peter Fissel pfissel@library.wisc.edu.

Saturday, May 16: Badger Ordnance Tour

Visit the Badger Army Ammunition Plant to see and hear its fantastic community of grassland birds with DNR ecologist Mike Mossman. Learn how an interesting human history has affected birdlife here, dating back to the days of the native Sauk Prairie, through conversion to agriculture, the coming of the Plant in 1942, and its deconstruction since 1998. Expect lots of Eastern Meadowlarks, Dickcissels, Bobolinks, Henslow’s Sparrows and Sedge Wrens, to name a few. We will meet at the BAAP front gate at 8:30 a.m., then carpool on surfaced and gravel roads through the plant. We’ll finish about 11:00 a.m. Mike Mossman (608) 544-5501 or mikemossman@wildblue.net

Sunday, May 17: Birding at Zeloski Marsh

This marsh in Jefferson County west of Lake Mills has become a major stopover for shorebirds during migration. During 2007, 24 species were seen there. It is also a major stopover for waterfowl and wading birds. We will walk a mile and a half on gravel trails to reach excellent shorebird and waterfowl viewing areas. For a description of Zeloski Marsh see the MAS Sanctuaries webpage or the article by Nolan Kollath in the Dec. 2007 CAWS. Meet at the DNR parking lot at the end of Alley Rd. at 9:00 a.m. (about 45 min. from the west side of Madison). Alley Rd. is off CTH S, south of CTH B and north of CTH A. The Glacial Drumlin Trail is nearby and is excellent for warbler watching at this time of the year, so make a day of it if you can. Picnic facilities are at nearby Korth Park and Lake Mills is nearby for food. Nolan Kollath, nkollath@charter.net or (920) 648-3842.

Sunday, May 17: Birds and Blossoms of Western Dane County

Harriet Irwin will lead a hike through a beautiful patch of rolling private terrain in Western Dane County. While walking through an east-west facing draw, the group will search for Cerulean Warblers, Ovenbirds, Acadian Flycatchers, Wood Thrushes, and Pileated Woodpeckers. Then the group will hike through some grasslands and look for Clay-Colored and Henslowís Sparrows and Bobolink. Harriet will also point out the variety of insects and flora on the properties. The hike will take place from 9 a.m. and noon and is limited to 15 participants. To register call Harriet Irwin at (608) 767-2987 and leave a message including your name and phone number.

Sunday, May 17: Birding at Picnic Point

We anticipate a pleasant spring morning of birding at one of Madisonís birding hot spots. With lots of shoreline, open water and a variety of woods, wetlands and open areas, Picnic Point is known for its diversity of birds. We can anticipate finding waterfowl, gulls, terns, blackbirds, wrens, woodpeckers, thrushes, orioles, vireos, early warblers, and a host of sparrows. Meet at 7:30 a.m. at the 1918 Marsh parking lot across University Bay Dr. from Picnic Point, north of the UW hospital. The trip will last 2-3 hours with an opportunity to extend longer. Cosponsor: Friends of the Lakeshore Nature Preserve. Dan Doeppers (608) 255-3013 and Peter Fissel.

Saturday, May 23: Bird Banding at the Biocore Prairie Bird Observatory

This easy spring field trip near Picnic Point runs from 8 a.m. until noon. Come early or later in the morning, stay the full time or just a few minutes. See how birds are netted, banded, measured and released, and discuss how important information is gathered for management and conservation purposes. You can expect to see resident songbirds and a variety of other migrating birds in the hand. You can accompany bird banders to the nets and observe how they remove birds, band them, and measure the birds at the mobile station. Bring insect repellent. To get to the banding station, take Lake Mendota Dr. and park at Frautschi Point. Walk south through the woods, keeping Lake Mendota on your left, onto the Biocore Prairie. At the prairie, follow the trail to your right, then left. The banding station (a/k/a picnic table) is at the top of the prairie. Visitors not able to walk are asked to contact the trip leader ahead of time for permission to drive you to the site. Contact: Mara McDonald, mamcdona@wisc.edu or (608) 274- 2534 before 8:30 p.m., please.

Sunday, May 24: Birding at Baxter’s Hollow

Baxter’s Hollow is one of the most scenic areas in the Baraboo Hills. We will search for breeding species like Worm-eating , Mourning, Cerulean and Hooded Warblers, Louisiana Waterthrush, both cuckoos, and any migrants passing through. The trip will depart from the Copp’s parking lot (6800 Century Ave.) in Middleton at 6:30 a.m. and may last for four hours. Aaron Stutz (608) 294-9618 or agstutz@ sbcglobal.net.

Thursday, May 28: Evening at Pheasant Branch

Enjoy an evening warbler walk at Pheasant Branch Conservancy, Middleton, on the Dane County parcel. Migrating spring warblers, vireos and thrushes will be the focus of our search, but we’ll probably find other interesting birds. To reach the Dane County parcel, drive one and a half miles north on Pheasant Branch Rd. from Century Ave. Go to the third conservancy parking lot on the right after you pass the Conservancy Condominiums. Meet at 6:00 p.m. Mike McDowell (608) 850-4122 or mmcdowell@tds.net.

Saturday, May 30: Janesville’s Cook Arboretum

Cook Arboretum, one of the premier birding spots in Rock County, offers a variety of habitats, including bottomland forest, riparian forest, scrub, field, and conifers. Several forestinterior species are found there. Warbler diversity is excellent with over 20 species expected in late May. The trails are well-groomed, but the terrain is rugged. Meet at 7:30 a.m. at the parking lot at the end of the drive. From Madison take Hwy. 14 south through Evansville. Before Janesville, take CTH H south (right) 1 mi. to CTH A. Take CTH A east (left) about 3 mi. The arboretum is on the left, at Austin Rd., 1 mi. before Janesville. Travel time is approx. 40 min. from the Madison Beltline. From I-90 and through Janesville: Take I-90 to Hwy. 26 (Milton Ave.) interchange. Take Hwy. 26 into Janesville to Hwy. 14. Take Hwy 14 west (right) 5 mi. to Hwy. 51. Take Hwy. 51 south (left) 4 mi. to Memorial Dr. Take Memorial Dr. west (right) to the edge of town. Memorial Dr. becomes CTH A. The arboretum is on the right, just outside the city limits. Tom Klubertanz, tklubert@uwc.edu or (608) 758- 6553.

Sunday, May 31: Birding Governor Dodge State Park

Come join us when we bird in the 5,000 acre Governor Dodge State Park in the driftless area of southwest Wisconsin near Dodgeville. Bird species seen on some recent field trips to Governor Dodge include Bell’s Vireo, Yellowbreasted Chat, Hooded Warbler, Acadian Flycatcher, Orchard Oriole, Henslow’s and Clay-Colored Sparrow. Trip Leader John Romano has birded extensively here and conducted the Breeding Bird Atlas work in Governor Dodge. Meet to carpool and leave at 6:00 a.m. in front of the Home Depot located one-quarter mile south of the Beltline off Verona Rd. A Wisconsin (day) state park sticker is necessary to enter the park. We should return around noon. John Romano (608) 238- 6039.

Sunday, May 31: Canoeing the Sugar River

Enjoy this unique opportunity to see the inside of one of the premier birding areas of southern Wisconsin. We will canoe the Sugar River, with leader Quentin Yoerger, in the Avon Bottoms State Wildlife area to find birds of the flood-plain forest. Expect to see Prothonotary Warblers, Yellow-billed Cuckoos, Red-shouldered Hawk and other unusual birds. This trip is for experienced canoeists as we will need to get around obstacles and so will be getting in and out of our canoes. (The water is relatively shallow.) Bring your own canoe, insect repellant, a lunch, water and binoculars. The trip will take us across the border into Illinois and last about 5 hrs. (Those who would like a shorter 2 hour trip can take out at the Nelson Road landing.) Meet at the Beloit Newark Rd. boat landing at 7:30 a.m. Directions: From Madison take Hwy. 14 south to the intersection with Hwy. 138 near Oregon. Exit to the right and go west about 1/5 mile. Turn left (south) onto CTH MM. Follow this road straight south as it becomes Hwy. 104/ CTH T, past Brodhead until Hwy. 81 is crossed, then continue south on CTH T another 2 miles and turn left onto Beloit Newark Rd. Travel east for 1 mile and stop at the boat landing and parking lot. (Allow at least 45 min. for travel.) A limited number of people and canoes can go on this trip so call or e-mail the leader, Quentin Yoerger, at (608) 882-6078 or harrierqman@ gmail.com to reserve space.

Friday, June 5 Canoeing Smith Slough

Rich and Amy Staffen will lead this night-time canoe trip to listen for marsh birds such as rails and Least Bitterns at Smith Slough near Lone Rock. This State Natural Area hosts a shallow oxbow lake and large sedge meadow/shrub carr complex. For trip details, contact the Staffens at 608/238-0450 or astaffen@tds.net.

Saturday, June 6: Birds of Devil’s Lake and Baxter’s Hollow

Join us for a morning of scouring the southern half of Devil’s Lake State Park to look for nesting bird species including Veery, Pileated Woodpecker, Yellow-throated Vireo, Acadian Flycatcher, Scarlet Tanager, Bluewinged Warbler, plus possible Cerulean and Worm-eating Warblers. In all, we’ll probably find 50-60 species. We will extend the trip to include Baxter’s Hollow if time permits. The leaders, Chuck Heikkinen and Delia Unson, are intimately acquainted with this area, covering it for the Wisconsin Breeding Bird Atlas. (They found 117 possible nesting species.) Please note that a (day) Wisconsin state park sticker is required to park at Devil’s Lake. Wear sturdy walking shoes, and bring water and insect repellent. Since we will be there until about noon or even later, you might want to bring a sack lunch. Meet at the Middleton Park and Ride to carpool and leave at 6:00 a.m. From Hwy. 12 at Middleton take Exit 249 (Parmenter St.) to the Park and Ride, OR, meet us at 6:45 a.m. in the parking area for the boat landing on the southwest shore of Devil’s Lake. Chuck or Delia (608) 274-4043, deliachuck@ gmail.com

Thursday, June 11: Evening at Owen Park Wildlife Ponds

Leader Russ Hefty will show us the three new storm water and wildlife ponds and discuss what wildlife is there currently and what we might hope to attract in the future, such as Wood Ducks. Gourds have been put out to attract Purple Martins. Meet at 6:30 p.m. in the Owen Park parking lot on the south side of 621 Old Sauk Rd. The trip will last until 8:00 p.m. or so. Russ Hefty (608) 233-8513; rhefty@ ci.madison.wi.us (only if you have questions).

Saturday, June 13: Geology of the Baraboo Hills

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